Rail-fastener.



E. PRENDERGAST.

RAIL FASTENER.

APPLICATION HLED AUG.26, 1916.

1,214,587. Patnted Feb. 6,1917.

Mil

EDWARD PRENDERGAST, OF, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAIL-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters l atent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed August 26, 1916. Serial No. 117,106.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD PRENDERGAST, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements'in rail fasteners, and has for its object the production of a fastenor which is easily applied and removed, and when applied not only performs the function of a rail fastener but from its peculiar construction when in use .acts to prevent the track to which it is applied from movement incident to traflic.

lVith the above purposes in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of the construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a rail and an end view of the metallic tie, a portion of the said tie being shown in transverse section, illustrating my invention when in use; Fig. 2 is a top plan View; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the rail and a side view of the metallic tie, a portion of which is in longitudinal section, illustrating my invention when in use; and Fig. 4 is a top plan view illustrating my invention applied at substantially a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the rail or parallel to the edges of the metallic tie.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings:

5 indicates a rail of ordinary construction, formed of .any desired length.

6 indicates a metallic tie provided with flanges 7 and 8, and with a longitudinally formed bent or ribbed portion 9 which extends throughout the length of the tie. Formed in the tie adjacent the rail base seat are openings 10. These openings or holes are diagonally arranged, one being formed through the tie on one side of the ribbed portion 9 and the other being formed on the opposite side, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The openings or holes 10 formed through the tie are elongated, for the purposes hereinafter stated. Located over the openings 10 are clamping plates 11 provided with bracing lugs 12 and a depending portion 13 which rests on the tie. The clamping plate or clip 11 is providedwith a bolt opening, and on the bottom of the clip and each side of the bolt opening is a longitudinal rib 14:. The rib 1 1 extends from the bracing lug l2 and terminates at a point, when the clip is in use, to engage with the edge of the base flange of the rail (see Fig. 8 for illustration). The clamping plate or clip when in use projects over a portion of the base flanges of the rail, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

15 indicates a U-shaped bolt provided with threaded prongs or branches 16, which are adapted to pass through the openings or holes formed in the tie, and also the openings or holes formed in the clamping plates 11, and when in use one of the threaded prongs of the U-shaped bolt is located on one side of the rail and the other on the opposite side. The U-shaped bolt 15 is provided with a downwardly curved or bent portion 16 adapted to fit the ribbed portion 9 of the tie, and when applied projects below the flanges 7 and 8 of the tie and is embedded in the road bed, and being disposed diagonally of the rails, acts as a drag to prevent the track from slipping.

In Fig. 4: I have shown the fastening device arranged at right angles to the rail. When it is desired to fasten the rail to the ties, the U-shaped bolt 15 is ositioned beneath the tie and the threaded prongs or branches thereof are passed through the clamping plates '11 which project partially over the base flange of the rail, and by tightening the nuts 17 the rails are firmly secured to the tie. It will be observed in this connection that the bracing lugs 12 resting against the end walls of the openings through the tie .maintain the clamping plates or clips in the proper position.

By having the body of the fastening device project below the tie and below the base flanges of the tie and the clamping plates or clips located above the same, it will be readily observed that when the nuts 17 are sufficiently tightened the rails and ties are firmly secured together.

My improved fastener is especially adapted for tracks that are made in sections, frequently used by contractors where the track is temporarily used and then moved to a different location.

Formed in the bolt, interjacent the threaded prongs 16 and the curved portion which underlies the bent or ribbed portion 9 of the tie, there are the angular portions 18 which seat against the tie on each side of the ribbed portion 9, so as to preclude springing in the bolt, to the end that the nuts may be drawn up against a rigid body.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is:

1. In combination with a tie having a ribbed portion and bolt holes on either side of the ribbed portion, a substantially U- shaped bolt having threaded prongs and 7 shaped to conform with the ribbed portion of the tie, and angular portions next the threaded prongs.

2. A rail fastener comprising in combi- Gopics of this patent may be obtained for nation a tie having parallel downturned flanges and pairs of bolt holes near the ends thereof, a substantially U-shaped bolt arranged to be inserted through each of the pairs of openings, a portion of the body of each bolt arranged to engage the underneath surface of the tie and the remainder thereof arranged to project in a plane beneath said portion engageable with the tie in order to minimize movements of the tie incident to traflic.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD PRENDERGAST.

lVitnesses:

EDWARD It. LONGAN, E. L. VALLACE.

five cents each, by addressing the )ommlssioner of Batents,

Washington, D. G. 

